The Extraordinary vs. the Ordinary

As you’ve probably guessed, there’s no Tuesday Ten going out this week.  I was really looking forward to sharing some new articles and things I’ve uncovered out in the interwebs, but I found my mind wandering to something else this past week …

Creating extraordinary content that begs to be read.

I’ll admit, after making the decision to start a blog, I read as many articles as I could stand (and sometimes more, because wow is there a lot out there) on how to make your blog appealing, how to write viral content, SEO tips and tricks, the benefits of self-hosting, etc.  You name it, I read it and probably bookmarked it.

And I almost quit blogging before I even started.

I got overwhelmed by the idea of playing the numbers game and creating content and writing posts for what it can do for my bottom line rather than what it can do for my head and my heart.  I thought I needed to have big posts, big ideas to sell, or a big following to be taken seriously.  I thought I always needed to be extraordinary before hitting publish.  I thought the only way to be heard above the cacophony of lifestyle blogs or fashion blogs was to be just as loud and just as knowledgeable.  I was discouraged, falling into the comparison trap, and thought about giving up entirely.

But when I actually sat down and thought about the direction I want to take this little space of mine, I can’t say I want it to be over-the-top and filled with DIY’s and workouts and Best of posts (although, because I love to share what actually works for me, you know there will definitely be some!).  Because I buy most of my stuff at Target or HomeGoods and I can’t operate a glue gun to save my life.  Because I workout at home and haven’t had a gym membership in years.  Because my mornings are a complete and utter mess in which I barely get out the door with enough time to make my train to work (I’m that girl that runs to the train telling it to stop, but knows it will never work).  I get my daily dose of comedy from BuzzFeed and only visit Facebook once a week, if that.

In keeping with my word of the year, I instead focus on a very purposeful day to day life.  I’ve been reading all of Shauna Niequist’s books on the train home each night (obviously I’m currently taking suggestions for new reads!), and I’ve almost memorized her stories.  I go to church twice a week and have a Bible study in between.  I eat take out and drink wine because sometimes (some weeks, really) I don’t feel like cooking.  I’ve been known to eat dessert first and my kitchen smells like oranges in the winter since I eat so many.  I take day trips on the weekends to remind myself that I’m more than my 9 to 5 job.  I visit my family as much as I can because this season of life has reminded me to not take them for granted, because everything can change in an instant.

But mostly, this week I just wanted to say thank you.  Thanks for sticking with me while I get settled and find a routine that will work for Splendor and Forge.  I hope you’ll stick around and join me on this journey of making a life worth living!  However extraordinary or ordinary it may be.

Image via Flickr under Creative Commons.

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